It's Time...

I've been neglecting this blog...today is the perfect day to update.  We are in the midst of a blizzard.  Over 14 inches of snow blowing around outside.  This after 12 inches on Sunday night! Trying to combat this LONG, COLD winter is wearing on all of us.  The boys are outside playing "Star Wars on the Planet Hoth".

I decided to post a couple of cheerful pictures that remind me that we do have warm, sunny times in what some people call Minnesota.
"Briggs Bros. Blooms" used a section of the high tunnel to grow zinnias that they cut and sold as bouquets at the Cook Area Farmers Market last summer.  Kohen is planning on increasing production this year, and is already in talks to hire a couple of "employees" (if you can call six and seven year olds employees)!

 I plan on doing several posts on the high tunnel and our first year experience with it.  No promises on when they are coming. It's no surprise that much of our summer revolves around the Cook Area Farmers Market and growing things on the farm.  Every spring the boys and I make a "Summer Bucket List" of activities that we want to try and accomplish during our too short summers.  Mini Golfing has been on the list every year.  Summer 2013 found us at the Edge mini golf course at Elbow Lake Lodge.  We actually went a couple of times, but on this August day we were with the Burckhardt fam, and enjoyed fresh pizzas and visiting with Papa Dan after our golf session.

 We didn't grow any zucchini in 2013.  Much of the spring/early summer was spent getting the high tunnel up and in growing condition.  Our farmers market sponsored a Great Zucchini Growing Contest, and Isaiah had his share of zucchini.  Here he is posing with a zucchini and some almond cake from the King girls.  My boys love farmers market mornings.

 The Cook Area Farmers Market Great Zucchini Contest.

Pushing Spring

Spring is slow in coming to the North woods.  This is the scene that we were able to enjoy yesterday with all the new snowfall.  Though to be honest, I cannot name a single individual who is enjoying it! 

 This time of year brings the arrival of new babies to the farm.  On 3/28 Belinda gave birth to Biscuit, a heifer.

 Gwendolyn presented us with twelve baby pigs on 3/26.  Ten of them are still with us and growing well despite the rotten weather.

 Black Beauty, the cow that is at least 14 years old, gave birth to Usher, on 3/27.  He is our first black calf. I love this picture with all his milk mess. 

We are still waiting for a few more calves, and the sheep have not started lambing yet.  It looks like at least 19 of the 23 ewes are bred, and they are looking close.  I know I shouldn't rush the arrival of lambing, especially given our miserable weather, but I have a feeling that once they start to lamb it is going to be crazy.  Plus, it would be nice if getting up at 2 am on a nightly basis to check cows and sheep would reveal something for our troubles. 

 

Looking out the window at the high snowbanks, it is hard to believe at this time last year Lake Vermilion was ice free.  We had trumpeter swans and a variety of other water fowl enjoying the flooded river in front of the house.  I was reminded of this today when a pair of trumpeters came flying along the river while I was outside.  They will have to go quite a distance to find any open water. 

 

Friday brought another sign of Spring, the arrival of our new high tunnel.  A high tunnel is basically an unheated greenhouse where you grow your plants in the ground.  It will be a sure benefit to our vegetable operation by extending our growing season and eliminating the fear of odd frost dates.  When you are trying to grow a large amount of produce in a location that has an average of 100 frost free days, you need to do more.  This 30x95 foot structure will help things.  Now for the snow to melt, the ground to thaw, and installation to happen. 

This is a heavy pile of steel and plastic.  I think a "high tunnel raising" is a good idea for a get-together/party. What do you think?

 

Time to go milk the goat, and check the sheep, and the cows...

Shearing 2013

Shearing 2013 commenced late Friday evening.  We were a smaller crew than years passed, but experienced, so all went well.  I did feel a bit bad about keeping my "seasoned" relatives and friends working until 10:30 at night, but we were able to get all 25 sheep sheared. 

 Grandma Butchy, Daisy, and Jeri.

 Our favorite shearer: Brian F. who estimates he has sheared 60,000 sheep.  "You get the hang of it after the first 10,000."

 The crew is ready and waiting to bundle freshly shorn fleece.

 Auntie Linda and Daisy got in lots of loves.

 Auntie Linda and Grandma Butchy teaching their tie technique to Isaiah.

J.J, 1/2 Shetland, 1/2/ Icelandic girl was the last to be sheared.  She is one of the largest sheep in the flock anyway, but looked especially huge next to the nakeds.  Notice Annafleece, black ewe, to the back right.  She was carrying her baby belly off to the side after being sheared!

If anyone is interested in some nice fleece let me know.  Now we begin the baby waiting game.  I don't mind waiting, given our lack of spring weather.  It was -10 degrees on Friday morning! 

Eggs & Bacon

Ten years ago I was on a cruise ship. Getting dressed and ready for a wedding.   Our wedding; Feb. 26, 2003 on Fitts Village Beach in Barbados.  We "celebrated" this past weekend at the MOSES Organic Farming Conference.  Thanks Nate! You are the eggs to my bacon!

Farmer Failure

I am a failure at being a farmer.   A goat farmer.  I knew Brie was probably going to kid in the next couple of weeks.  I have been diligently checking her bag and backside for weeks, twice a day.  How did she go from looking the same as she has for two weeks, to giving birth to triplets...in the night...with no one there to make sure they made it.   I'm mad, and disappointed, all at myself. I've accepted it; but twice a day as I head to the goat shed to milk her, I get mad all over again.  Nate tries to make me take consolation in the facts, she probably wouldn't have been able to feed triplets, they were all bucks, it's just too cold to have baby goats living in the shed, it makes me feel marginally better. But I still failed. 

What started out as a hobby, few goats, sheep... has turned into my life.  I have my family, my school kids, and our animals.  People tell me they wish they could live "simply" like we do.  I often want to invite them to visit and stay during lambing or calving time.  Give it a week, and you tell me how simple it feels.  Rushing home from work hoping only the skilled "good" moms gave birth while we were away. 

We continue to wrestle with where we want to go with the pigs.  Raising Red Wattle pigs the way we are, with the cost of feed, is not a wise financial decision.  Nate calculated this morning that we will have a minimum of 2.50 a pound into the current batch when they are ready to be butchered.  That is the feed costs.  It doesn't cover the electricity for providing them fresh water during the winter, or the daily labor. Who in their right minds would keep working at something that only costs you?

The answer: me.  Us.  We do.  We start discussing and decided it isn't wise to keep the pigs. Then we eat some pork chops, and ask the question, Where would we get this good pork?  Darn it. Farm decisions are never easy.  I would love to make this my full time occupation.  The reality is it takes both of us working outside jobs to make the income to have the farm too. 

The only consolation I have is that my boys are living, learning, and eating right.  They are jealous of the dogs and cat getting the goat milk right now, wanting to know how many days until we milk for our milk.  They love their animals.  Grieve when things happen to them.  Ask when will we have new lambs.  When will we have new calves?  When will it be warm enough to play in the mud, ride horses every day, plant seeds in the gardens?  Kohen has been overheard teaching his peers on the school bus what organic means and why HIS bacon is the best. (Maybe he really is listening to his parents.) 

I know that I will be renewed in this passion in two weeks when I head to MOSES Organic Farm Conference in LaCrosse.  I know that God will show us where we should go with all of our multifaceted farm plans.  I know it will work out for the best.  I just need some more reminders on dark days, on days when I am a failed farmer.

Gift Horse

Just a quick post to let those in blogland know that Isaiah and I each got an early Christmas gift yesterday.  In the form of four -well eight- legs, manes, and tails.  Rosie is a 15 year old grade paint, and Cork is her 2 yr. old son.  Rosie is well trained, Cork not so much.  Isaiah has fallen in love with him and his gentle disposition, as this photo attests:

 

We were lucky enough to get them home yesterday before it started snowing, though we've only gotten about three inches.  Gives me time to study up on training this new boy for my boy.  My mom was kind enough to remind me that it was twenty years ago that they gifted me with a horse for my sixteenth birthday present.  Rusty and I had a few good years before I had to sell him and head to college.  Hopefully Isaiah will have many years with Cork (or whatever he changes his name to) to come. Merry Christmas!

Rolling in to November...

Really, November?  Crazy.  I admit that I have been neglecting the blog, but will make an attempt to update more often. 
Things have been busy.  We finished off the summer with Farmers Market and lots of get togethers.  The Cook Area Farmers Market had a great year.  We all had a fun time while making sales too. 

GARDEN: We had a very good growing year.  The "new" front garden produced an abundance of produce that filled our bellies, freezer, jars, and plenty of shopping bags.



RED WATTLES: Gwennie, the red wattle sow, had a litter of 9 babies in the middle of September, sealing our commitment to selling meat at farmers market next year.  She's getting ready to wean the piglets in the next week or so, and then she'll have another visit from Lyle, the red wattle boar.  Unfortunately Lyle is now over three years old and over 800 pounds, meaning he will soon be sausage.  We will use him to breed Gwennie this month and then reassess our breeding program next Spring.  There are a few nice looking gilts (girls) in this batch of piglets, so I may hold them back for breeders and then buy a red wattle boar in the spring.  Lots of months before a decision has to be made. 

Isaiah giving Gwennie a bath.

SHETLAND SHEEP/LAMB: We had a good year of lamb sales, 12 ram lambs were butchered last month, and all but two have already been sold.  There is getting to be more and more interest in locally grown meat, which is a good thing! My plan is to put Hero in with his breeding group this coming week.  Jameson will be getting the six ewe lambs this season. They have all been getting high quality hay and lots of pumpkin in addition to the remaining pasture for the last two weeks, gearing up for breeding season. 
HIGHLANDS: The cattle are doing well, they are mostly Nate's domain at this time of the year.  We've been feeding hay for the last month. 
GOATS: We ended up with only one goat kidding this year, which meant I was only milking one goat, and a first freshener at that (first time she kidded/milked.) This lead to lots of work for not a lot of milk.  I just quit milking last week.  Nora, and Brie are currently residing with the cows, and with the boer buck we picked up from some friends. Billy Boy (or stinky Billy) as the boys call him, has hopefully done his job and I will have baby goats in the end of February.  Pippa will be heading to the pasture next door this week to have a date with him too.
POULTRY: We have been having some rough luck with the chickens and turkeys this summer.  The fox has become expert at picking off chickens, and it seems like he only gets the hens!  Our last batch of baby turkeys made it to three weeks, and then they all died within 48 hours.  We aren't sure what caused this, since they were in a jug in the barn with their momma hen having access to come and go at will.  We had also raised 15 guineas to 5 weeks old, before the fox decided they were tasty too.  It looks like we wll be paring down for the winter.  I have a few roosters that we hatched out this spring still to cull, so we will head into winter with about 15 chickens, 5 turkeys, and some of the magpie ducks.  Their numbers will be determined by what we can winter comfortably in the extra coop. 
CATS: The cat count currently stands at 5 (though Nate swears he has seen a stray around as well.)  We have Hank, TwoThree, Angel, and Curious living outside, with Purry being in/out as she pleases.  They have plenty of warm spots, along with a supply of food in the woodshed. 

BOYS: Last but not least, my boyos are growing.  Isaiah will be 5 in three days!! Koe will be 8 in just over a month.  They have had a busy summer and fall as well.  One of their favorite summer activities was taking the paddle boat on the river.  They knew their boundaries and spent some time fishing and having fun with friends.  Their interests now lean toward legos, video games, and more legos.  Last weekend we had a halloween party, with 50 kids in attendance.  Add in the adults and it was a busy house!  Food, games, and a hay ride made for lots of memories!